Anna (Part 1)
The sun shone like brilliant gold through the windows of Johnny Wright’s office and created within it an atmosphere of serenity and well-being even as it bathed the room in its gleaming light.
The five young men collectively known as NSYNC felt it as they entered the large room and their already smiling faces brightened. Johnny stood and greeted each man with a firm handshake and then indicated that they all take a seat.
Once seated, JC spoke first. "So, what’s going on Johnny? Why the impromptu meeting?"
Johnny stayed standing, his position and body language betraying that he was excited about something. "Let me get right to it guys. I have some great news. I found you a recording studio where you can record the next album!"
Five sets of eyes focused on Johnny in confusion.
"I thought we were recording the album here – in Orlando," said Lance slowly.
"Well, we were, but…I got a phone call a few days ago about this other place and I’ve been looking into it. It’s an amazing offer and we really can’t turn it down. We shouldn’t turn it down."
"Well, what are the details?" asked Lance.
"The studio itself is actually a renovated house in Connecticut that the owners have turned into a state of the art recording studio. It’s right outside a town called Windsor Locks."
"Windsor Locks? Oh my god Johnny, this isn’t some hick town is it?" Justin asked.
"It’s a very nice little town. Very nice, friendly people. Rich in history and ambience. And as I said, the house itself is just outside of town, so you guys will have no distractions and hopefully we can still have this album ready for a June release.
Justin slumped in his chair. "It’s a hick town."
Chris spoke for the first time, a crooked smile plastered on his face. "It’s cold in Connecticut, Johnny. I’m not fond of the cold, that’s why I live in Florida."
Johnny turned towards him, the look on his face one of pure amusement. "It will be good for you Kirkpatrick. Maybe the snow and clean air will inspire you."
"They must have offered you one hell of a good deal for you to even be considering this, Johnny," Lance observed.
Johnny wagged his finger at Lance in approval and affirmation. "That’s the best part, Lance. It’s completely free!"
"You’re kidding right?" Joey asked in shock.
"No, I’m dead serious."
"What do they get out of it if they let us use their studio for free?" asked JC.
"Come on, you guys are the biggest band in the world right now. If you use the studio and are satisfied, they’ve got the best endorsement there is; they’re basically set for life. I mean it’s not like people are flocking to use a recording studio in the middle of New England. This deal would be beneficial to all parties."
The five men looked at each other uncertainly. "I don’t know about this Johnny. I think we were all looking forward to staying in town," Justin said.
"Listen guys, the final decision is up to you, of course, but you have to remember that what we do is a business. And it makes very good business sense to accept this deal. We are getting for free what would normally be very expensive. And anyway, the house is huge, you’ll each have your own rooms…think of it as a mini vacation. Think positively."
Again, the five men looked at each other, their communication nearly telepathic. They all agreed, through a series of shrugs and nods and one disgruntled sigh from Justin, that it was indeed a good deal and that they should accept it. Lance spoke for all of them when he said, "Well, why not?" Let’s do it."
"Yeah, and who knows…it could be fun," said Chris, suddenly feeling much more open to the idea.
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The house that held the recording studio was indeed huge and exactly as Johnny had described it. Quiet and secluded, it was accessible only by a small bridge that ran off of one of the town’s main roads. It was beautiful and elegant in a style that seemed to belong only to New England. It stood proudly on a slight hill, near the edge of a thick wood and exuded an air of history that spoke of age and strength. Lance looked at its high imposing walls and thought, "This house has seen much."
For a moment there was no sound in the stillness of the cold February morning save the occasional twittering of birds, as each of the five men stared at the house and became lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, JC’s voice sliced into the quiet that had enveloped them. "Maybe we should go inside now, huh?" he asked as he looked around.
His friends murmured their assent and they collectively began to walk forward, their bags and suitcases heavy burdens that caused them to move slowly. Once at the entrance to the house, JC unlocked the massive door with the key given to them and watched as it easily swung open. He gave an approving smile at what he could see of the interior.
"This place is great!" he said as he walked across the threshold and entered.
One by one the members of the group walked in, each exclaiming in delight at the sight that met their eyes. Chris was the last to enter, and he was fully prepared to be just as impressed as the other guys had been. As he crossed the threshold, however, he felt a pang of despondency and sorrow so intense that it nearly took his breath away and rendered him motionless. For a brief moment, he felt as if he were stepping into killing fields rather than a newly refurbished house. He felt someone’s light touch on his arm and he looked up to see Justin staring at him worriedly. Suddenly, the feeling of sadness that had been so overwhelming evaporated, and he was left shaking his head in confusion.
"Are you ok?" Justin asked him, the concern in his voice making it soft.
Chris looked past Justin’s shoulder and saw that the other guys were already far ahead and exploring with an almost childish glee. He turned towards his younger friend and gave his head one last, vigorous shake as if to clear it. "Yeah, I just got a really weird feeling for a second…it’s gone now though."
Some of the worry left Justin’s face as he asked, "Are you sure?"
"I’m positive," Chris stated, although in reality he was a little unnerved by the strong feeling that had seemed to come at him from out of nowhere.
"Well, come on then. Let’s go look around," Justin said as he finally dropped his hand from Chris’ arm and reached behind him to close the door. As they began to walk forward, Chris tried to push the incident out of his mind. He told himself he was tired from traveling and was just a little hypersensitive to this new place and the new situation. He told himself that all he needed was to lay down for awhile and to maybe take a small nap. Yes, he just needed a little downtime and he’d be fine. As he mentally decided to find a bed as quickly as possible, he turned back towards the front door and gave it a brief glance. Although he saw nothing out of the ordinary, nothing but an ornate door and the hallway leading from it, he felt a small shudder pass through his body.
"Strange," he thought. "So strange."